Game Preview: West Virginia football vs. Eastern Kentucky
West Virginia will open a very unique 2020 season against FCS opponent Eastern Kentucky and WVSports.com offers a look at some key elements of the match up to get you ready for kick off.
In this game preview, we dive into numbers and notes, a depth chart, our video preview of the game as well as where to can watch the contest.
Series: First meeting
Last meeting: First meeting
Television: 12 p.m., FS1, Joe Davis (PBP), Mark Helfrich (analyst)
NUMBERS AND NOTES:
--Neal Brown will enter his second season atop the West Virginia football program after a 5-7 campaign in his first year. Overall, Brown has a 40-23 record as a head coach.
--West Virginia is 20-0 all-time against teams from the FCS level. The Mountaineers are 21-16-1 all-time when playing schools from the state of Kentucky.
--In season openers, West Virginia is 90-33-4 all-time and 16-4 since 2000. The Mountaineers have won 16 home season openers in a row. The program is 5-1 in games played on Sept. 12 all-time.
--Coaching staff assignments: Matt Moore (AHC-OL/Field), Gerad Parker (OC-WR/Press Box), Chad Scott (Co-OC-RB/Field), Jordan Lesley (Defensive Lead-DL/Field), Jahmile Addae (Defensive Lead-CB/Field), Jeff Koonz (ST Coordinator-ILB/Field), Jeff Casteel (OLB/Press Box), Sean Reagan (QB/Press Box), Travis Trickett (TE-IR/Field), Dontae Wright (S/Press Box)
--West Virginia is 29-12 in non-conference games since 2010, including 21-1 at home.
--West Virginia is 89-14 since 2002 when winning the turnover battle.
--West Virginia has 109 players from 20 different states.
--West Virginia has 19 fifth-year seniors and 18 players that have already graduated.
--A total of 16 players that have started a game return on offense, while that number is 12 on the defensive side of the ball.
--In 2020 the makeup of the offensive roster includes offensive roster includes 12 true freshmen, 10 redshirt freshmen, three sophomores, 11 redshirt sophomores, five juniors, five redshirt juniors and seven redshirt seniors. The total offensive personnel includes five quarterbacks, eight running backs, 17 wide receivers, four tight ends/fullbacks and 19 offensive linemen.
--In 2020 the makeup of the defensive roster includes 10 freshmen, 11 redshirt freshmen, four sophomores, three redshirt sophomores, four juniors, eight redshirt juniors, two seniors and nine redshirt seniors. The total defensive personnel for 2020 includes 14 defensive linemen, nine linebackers, 11 cornerbacks, two spears, five bandits and 10 safeties.
--Since 1980, West Virginia is 202-22-1 when scoring 30 or more points in a game. Since 2000, the Mountaineers are 64-6 when hitting the 40-point plateau, and WVU is 194-6 all-time when scoring at least 40 or more points in a game.
-- Over the last five years, West Virginia has produced 113 takeaways, tied for No. 20 nationally and tied for No. 12 among Power 5 schools.
--West Virginia will be without redshirt junior defensive end Taijh Alston due to injury.
OFFENSE:
QB: 2 Jarret Doege, 6-2, 208, r-Jr.
12 Austin Kendall, 6-2, 214, r-Sr.
RB: 4 Leddie Brown, 5-11, 214, Jr.
20 Alec Sinkfield, 5-9, 184, r-Jr.
TE: 87 Mike O'Laughlin, 6-5, 255, r-So. -or-
85 T. J. Banks, 6-5, 248, r-So.
WR (X): 0 Bryce Wheaton, 6-3, 218, r-So.
10 Sean Ryan, 6-3, 204, Jr.
WR (H): 16 Winston Wright, 5-10, 174, So.
15 Reese Smith, 5-10, 186, Fr.
SLOT: 1 T.J. Simmons, 6-2, 201, r-Sr.
9 Isaiah Esdale, 6-0, 203, r-Jr.
WR (Z): 13 Sam James, 6-0, 184, r-So.
19 Ali Jennings, 6-1, 195, So. -or-
17 Sam Brown, 6-2, 197, Fr.
LT: 71 Junior Uzebu, 6-6, 298, r-So.
50 Brandon Yates, 6-4, 306, r-Fr.
LG: 74 James Gmiter, 6-3, 301, r-So.
69 Blaine Scott, 6-3, 315, r-So.
C: 76 Chase Behrndt, 6-4, 315, r-Sr.
54 Zach Frazier, 6-2, 308, Fr.
RG: 57 Michael Brown, 6-3, 345, r-Sr.
55 Parker Moorer, 6-4, 303, r-Fr.
RT: 79 John Hughes, 6-5, 298, Jr.
68 Briason Mays, 6-3, 308, r-So.
DEFENSE:
DT: 55 Dante Stills, 6-3, 275, Jr.
90 Akheem Mesidor, 6-2, 268, Fr.
NT: 56 Darius Stills, 6-1, 282, Sr.
99 Quay Mays, 6-1, 302, r-Jr. -or-
95 Jordan Jefferson, 6-2, 295, So.
DE: 9 Jeffery Pooler, 6-2, 258, r-Sr.
52 Jalen Thornton, 6-2, 265, r-Fr.
BANDIT: 8 Vandarius Cowan, 6-4, 241, r-Jr. -or-
50 Jared Bartlett, 6-2, 233, r-Fr.
WLB: 7 Josh Chandler-Semedo, 5-11, 228, Jr.
17 Exree Loe, 6-0, 212, r-Jr.
MLB: 10 Dylan Tonkery, 6-0, 228, r-Sr.
1 Tony Fields, 6-1, 220, Sr.
SPEAR: 23 Tykee Smith, 5-10, 202, So.
24 Jairo Faverus, 6-0, 198, Fr.
CS: 29 Sean Mahone, 5-11, 204, r-Sr.
2 Noah Guzman, 5-11, 202, Jr.
FS: 4 Alonzo Addae, 5-11, 192, r-Sr.
22 Jake Long, 5-11, 198, r-Sr. -or-
20 Tae Mayo, 5-10, 181, r-Fr.
LCB: 5 Dreshun Miller, 6-1, 190, r-Jr.
3 Jackie Matthews, 5-10, 189, Jr.
RCB: 11 Nicktroy Fortune, 6-0, 196, So.
28 Daryl Porter, 5-11, 179, Fr.
SPECIAL TEAMS:
K: 30 Evan Staley, 6-1, 196, r-Sr.
48 Casey Legg, 6-4, 210, r-So.
H: 89 Graeson Malashevich, 5-9, 177, r-Fr.
P: 35 Tyler Sumpter, 5-10, 220, r-Sr.
40 Kolton McGhee, 6-0, 188, r-Fr.
KO: 48 Casey Legg, 6-4, 210, r-So.
30 Evan Staley, 6-1, 196, r-Sr.
LS: 51 Kyle Poland, 6-2, 234, r-Sr.
52 JP Hadley, 6-2, 239, r-So.
KOR: 16 Winston Wright, 5-10, 174, So.
13 Sam James, 6-0, 184, r-So.
PR: 20 Alec Sinkfield, 5-9, 184, r-Jr.
89 Graeson Malashevich, 5-9, 177, r-Fr.
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